Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (3/110)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

Thus, what he has stated does not apply to the majority of Ahl al-Sunnah.

We have said more than once: We do not deny that some among Ahl al-Sunnah may hold an erroneous view, but they do not unanimously agree upon an error, as the Imāmiyya unanimously agree upon error. Rather, in every matter in which the Imāmiyya differ with Ahl (1) al-Sunnah, the correct position lies with Ahl al-Sunnah. As for matters disputed among Ahl al-Sunnah and likewise disputed among the Imāmiyya, they are peculiar to neither Ahl al-Sunnah nor the Imāmiyya.

In sum, the majority of Ahl al-Sunnah, from both the early and later generations, maintain that the servant possesses capacity, will, and action, and truly acts; and that Allah is the Creator of all these, just as He is the Creator of everything. This is established by the Quran and the Sunnah.

Allah Most High said concerning Abraham:

“Our Lord, make us both Muslims in submission to You, and from our descendants a Muslim community in submission to You.”

[Surah al-Baqara: 128]

And He [Exalted is He, concerning Abraham] (2) said:

“My Lord, make me one who establishes prayer, and likewise from among my descendants.”

[Surah Ibrāhīm: 40]

And He [Exalted is He] (3) said:

“And We made from among them leaders who guided by Our command when they remained patient.”

[Surah al-Sajda: 24]

(4) And He [Exalted is He] (5) said:

“And We made them leaders who guided by Our command, and We revealed to them the doing of good deeds, the establishment of prayer, and the giving of zakat; and they were worshippers of Us.”

[Surah al-Anbiyā: 73]

And He said:

“Indeed, the human being was created fretful—when evil touches him, impatient, and when good touches him, withholding.”

[Surah al-Maārij: 19, 21]

Thus, He states that Allah makes the Muslim a Muslim, the one who establishes prayer an establisher of prayer, and the guiding leader a leader who guides aright.

(1) ʿ and N read: “for Ahl.” (2) “Exalted is He, concerning Abraham” is added in A and B. (3) “Exalted is He” is added in A and B. (4) Verse 24 of Surah al-Sajda is omitted in N and M. (5) “Exalted is He” is added in A and B.

فَمَا ذَكَرَهُ لَا يَلْزَمُ جُمْهُورَ أَهْلِ السُّنَّةِ، وَقَدْ قُلْنَا غَيْرَ مَرَّةٍ: نَحْنُ لَا نُنْكِرُ أَنْ يَكُونَ فِي بَعْضِ أَهْلِ السُّنَّةِ مَنْ يَقُولُ الْخَطَأَ، لَكِنْ لَا يَتَّفِقُونَ عَلَى خَطَأٍ، كَمَا تَتَّفِقُ الْإِمَامِيَّةُ عَلَى خَطَأٍ، بَلْ كُلُّ مَسْأَلَةٍ خَالَفَتْ فِيهَا الْإِمَامِيَّةُ أَهْلَ (١) السُّنَّةِ فَالصَّوَابُ فِيهَا مَعَ أَهْلِ السُّنَّةِ. وَأَمَّا مَا تَنَازَعَ فِيهِ أَهْلُ السُّنَّةِ وَتَنَازَعَتْ فِيهِ الْإِمَامِيَّةُ، فَذَاكَ لَا اخْتِصَاصَ لَهُ بِأَهْلِ السُّنَّةِ وَلَا بِالْإِمَامِيَّةِ. وَبِالْجُمْلَةِ فَجُمْهُورُ أَهْلِ السُّنَّةِ مِنَ السَّلَفِ وَالْخَلَفِ يَقُولُونَ: إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ لَهُ قُدْرَةٌ وَإِرَادَةٌ وَفِعْلٌ، وَهُوَ فَاعِلٌ حَقِيقَةً، وَاللَّهُ خَالِقُ ذَلِكَ كُلِّهِ كَمَا هُوَ خَالِقُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ، كَمَا دَلَّ عَلَى ذَلِكَ الْكِتَابُ وَالسُّنَّةُ. قَالَ تَعَالَى عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ: {رَبَّنَا وَاجْعَلْنَا مُسْلِمَيْنِ لَكَ وَمِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِنَا أُمَّةً مُسْلِمَةً لَكَ} [سُورَةُ الْبَقَرَةِ: ١٢٨] ، وَقَالَ [تَعَالَى عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ] (٢) : {رَبِّ اجْعَلْنِي مُقِيمَ الصَّلَاةِ وَمِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِي} [سُورَةُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ: ٤٠] ، وَقَالَ [تَعَالَى] (٣) : {وَجَعَلْنَا مِنْهُمْ أَئِمَّةً يَهْدُونَ بِأَمْرِنَا لَمَّا صَبَرُوا} [سُورَةُ السَّجْدَةِ: ٢٤] (٤) وَقَالَ [تَعَالَى] (٥) : {وَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ أَئِمَّةً يَهْدُونَ بِأَمْرِنَا وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْهِمْ فِعْلَ الْخَيْرَاتِ وَإِقَامَ الصَّلَاةِ وَإِيتَاءَ الزَّكَاةِ وَكَانُوا لَنَا عَابِدِينَ} [سُورَةُ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ: ٧٣] وَقَالَ: {إِنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ خُلِقَ هَلُوعًا - إِذَا مَسَّهُ الشَّرُّ جَزُوعًا - وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ الْخَيْرُ مَنُوعًا} [سُورَةُ الْمَعَارِجِ: ١٩، ٢١] فَأَخْبَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَجْعَلُ الْمُسْلِمَ مُسْلِمًا، وَالْمُقِيمَ لِلصَّلَاةِ مُقِيمَ الصَّلَاةِ، وَالْإِمَامَ الْهَادِي إِمَامًا هَادِيًا.

(١) ع، ن: لِأَهْلِ. (٢) تَعَالَى عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ: زِيَادَةٌ فِي (أ) ، (ب) . (٣) تَعَالَى: زِيَادَةٌ فِي (أ) ، (ب) . (٤) سَقَطَتْ آيَةُ ٢٤ مِنْ سُورَةِ السَّجْدَةِ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) . (٥) تَعَالَى زِيَادَةٌ فِي (أ) ، (ب) .